Low build numbers and faulty repairs: what has Brownlee been doing?

Posted by Phil Twyford on July 28, 2014

Despite being a man in a hurry new figures show just 2160 new homes, thousands fewer than needed, have been built under Gerry Brownlee in the last two years, say Labour’s Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford and EQC spokesperson Clayton Cosgrove.

“Information obtained from Christchurch City Council shows just 2160 Code Compliance Certificates were issued in the two years to June 2014, while CERA says Canterbury 25,000 are needed,” says Phil Twyford.

“This shows the residential rebuild has been painfully slow. With so few houses being built it is easy to see why rents and house prices continue to go through the roof.

“The Government likes to crow about projected consent figures, but code compliance certificates for new dwellings are a much better indicator as they are issued after building work is completed.

EQC spokesperson Clayton Cosgrove said the figures were shocking coming on top of news reports of faulty earthquake repairs.

“Now we have got lawyers in Christchurch warning of shoddy repair jobs, and saying it could be as big as the leaky buildings crisis.

“One insurance lawyer Duncan Webb has been reported saying there was no auditing process so substandard repairs were being passed off as complete.

“Legal action against insurers and building companies is mounting with High Court's so-called earthquake list showing 222 cases are active of a total of 327 filed.

“When John Key tried to defend Gerry Brownlee’s latest troubles he said his minister ‘got a lot of things right’. He got it wrong with the rebuild – he should have put in quality control measures in the beginning to get it right first time,” said Clayton Cosgrove.